Receptacle for conduit



Jan. 1964 H. WlMBlSH 1 9",

RECEPTACLE FOR CONDUIT Filed Feb. 25, 1962 I'm Z /30/ INVENTOR.

BY V FM ATTO/F/VEVJ United States Patent 3,118,017 RECEPTACLE FOR CONDUIT Hilton Winrbish, 552 M & M Building, Houston, Tex. Filed Feb. 23, 1962, S-er. No. 175,039 2 Claims. (Cl. 174-97) The present invention relates to a receptacle for electrical conduits and the like.

At the present time, a great deal of difficulty is experienced in satisfactorily covering and protecting electrical conductors in exposed areas while at the same time providing an arrangement which is not bulky.

The present invention has for one of its primary objects the provision of a receptacle for an electrical conduit to receive the electrical conduit and cover it in exposed areas, which receptacle is constructed and arranged so that it will retain conductors of various sizes properly but which presents a minimum obstruction on the exposed area to walking or movement of objects thereover.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a receptacle for electrical conductors including a hollow body having a plurality of vertically and longitudinally extending ribs therein forming ducts for receiving electrical conductors, said ribs constructed and arranged so as to support the hollow body in position even when weight is applied thereto to thereby properly retain the conductors in place in the receptacle and to support the receptacle in position on the floor or other surface on which it is positioned.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a receptacle for electrical conductors whereby the conductors whereby the conductors may be laid across a floor or other exposed surface, which receptacle is constructed and arranged so as to carry a maximum number of electrical conductors therein and which receptacle is constructed and arranged so as to present a minimum obstacle on the exposed surface on which it is resting.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from a consideration of the following description and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View illustrating a portion of the receptacle of the present invention;

PEG. 2 is a sectional view of the receptacle shown in FIG. 1 and illustrates the preferred construction and arrangement of the receptacle as described herein with electrical conductors in place in dotted outline;

PEG. 3 shows a retainer for receiving and supporting the receptacle of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention.

in FIG. 1, the receptacle of the present invention is referred to generally by the numeral 3, and such receptacle is formed by the elongated hollow body designated generally by the numeral 4. The body 4 includes the transversely rounted member 5 which includes the central portion 6 with the adjacent portions 7 and 8 on each side of the central portion sloping downwardly to form relatively thin longitudinal edges 9 and 1b on the member 5.

Thus, it can be seen that the upper surace designated by the numeral 13 of the member 5 is of an arcuate configuration and that the curvature of the surface 13 and the relation of the width of the body 4 between the longitudinal edges 9 and 1b to the maximum vertical height at the central portion 6 presents a member which when placed upon a floor or other surface presents a minimum obstruction to walking or moving objects thereover.

Depending from the nether surface 14 of member 5 and formed integrally with the member 5 and is a plurality of longitudinally and vertically extending ribs designated in FIG. 2 by the numerals 15, 16, 17, and 18.

It will be noted that the ribs 15, 16, 17, and 18 are spaced laterally of the member 6, and each of the vertical 3,118,0l7 Patented Jan. 14, 1964 ice longitudinally extending ribs terminates at its lower end on a common plane laterally of the member as repre' sented by the numeral in FIG. 2 of the drawings. it is to be noted that the ribs are provided with a substantially flat bottom portion of substantial extent represented by the numerals 21, 22, 23, and 24, respectively, which along with the bottom portions 25 and 26 formed along each longitudinal edge of the member 5 form a support means for the member 5 when it rests on a surface such as a floor or the like.

Each of the ribs is provided with a longitudinally and laterally extending projection means 28 which is formed adjacent the bottom portion of each rib and extends upwardly therefrom in a general direction towards the nether surface 14 of the member 5.

It is to be noted that the projection 28 on each of the ribs 15, 1d, 17, and 18 extends toward but terminates in spaced relation to the next adjacent rib to thereby define an opening represented by the numeral 30, which opening provides a means of ingress for placing electrical conductors in the ducts formed by the adjacent ribs and member 5, the ducts being represented generally by the numeral 31 in FIG. 2 of the drawings.

The present invention may be in the form of any suitable plastic material which may be extruded or molded economically so that the receptacle 3 may be formed in various sizes and lengths as desired.

The arrangement of the vertical and longitudinally extending ribs 15, 16, 17, and 18 provide adequate support means for the member 5 so that when normal pressure is applied to the top surface 13 of the member, it will not crush or deform. Also, the arrangement of the lateral projection 28 on the ribs and the relationship of the ribs and lateral projection thereon to adjacent ribs and lateral projections provides a means whereby the electrical conduits represented in dotted line by the numerals at 32 can be easily placed within the ducts 31 formed in the member 5. The present invention is particularly advantageous in that it accommodates a maximum number of electrical conductors therethrough yet is sturdy and rigid so as to withstand crushing when pressure is applied thereto.

In order to place the conductors 32 in the duct 31 formed longitudinally of the member 5, the ribs and member 5 may be flexed as the conductors are placed therein so as to enlarge the openings 3b to enable the electrical conductors represented at 32 to be more readily positioned in the ducts. The electrical conductors will remain in position by frictional engagement with each other or by frictional engagement with the wall surfaces of the members 5 which form the duct until they are forcibly removed from their position.

The present invention has been found entirely satisfactory in use and provides an economical and yet substantial manner of supporting electrical conductors on an exposed surface so that they can be covered to protect them and also enable movement over the conductors by people or objects without becoming entangled in the electrical conductors. It can be appreciated that the exact dimensions of the present invention can be varied without departing from the scope of the present invention and that the number of ribs in the member 5 may be varied as desired.

In PEG. 3, a metal retainer 40 is provided for receiving the receptacle 3. The retainer 40 includes a longitudinal base 41 adapted to be secured on the floor or wall by suitable means such as screws or the like (not shown). The retainer 40 also includes the longitudinal edge portions 42 and 43 which are bent back on the upper surface 13 and fit snugly thereagainst.

In some circumstances, it may be desirable to use the retainer 4% instead of placing the receptacle 3 on the floor or other surface.

lit

In FiG. 4 an embodiment is shown which may be used for larger conduits. The ribs 5% and 51 are provided with projections 52 and SZdWlllCh extend outwardly and upwardly from each side. The projections also include portions 52b which rest on a surface to support the receptacle similar to the flat portions on the ribs of the PEG. 1 and 2 form.

The function of the FIG. 3 and 4 form is similar to that described with regard to FIGS. 1 and 2.

The present invention by reason of the vertical and longitudinal ribs and the projections 28 thereon forms a holder for the wires or electrical conduits which hold or support the wires free of the floor or surface over which the invention is applied.

Also, the wires may be easily and quickly inserted in position, and such positioning can be accomplished without disconnecting the wires from the socket or appliance in which they are connected.

The device is formed of any suitable material and is preferably formed of material which is a nonconductor. Additionally, the convex surface 13 prevents tripping when walking 011 the surface over which it is positioned and permits equipment to be readily moved thereover.

Broadly, the present invention relates to a receptacle and. more particularly, to a receptacle which comprises a hollow member which is shaped to rest on a surface so that a plurality of electrical conductors may be covered by the hollow body and yet providing an arrangement which will retain its original shape even when substantial pressure is applied thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A receptacle for electrical conductors comprising,

(a) a unitary plastic mass forming,

(l) an elongated hollow body having a transversely rounded upper surface,

(2) a plurality of spaced, longitudinally and vertically extending substantially rigid ribs depending from the bottom surface of said body,

(3) said ribs having substantially rigid flat bottom edges which terminate in the same lateral plane thereby forming support means to prevent flexure of said body and (4) said ribs having a flexible lateral projection extending longitudinally and upwardly from each of said bottom edges and terminating in spaced relation to the adjacent rib whereby a plurality of hollow ducts are formed in said receptacle for receiving electrical conductors therein by flexing said lateral projections, if necessary, to facilitate lateral insertion of said conductors therein.

2. The invention of claim 1 including a retainer for covering the bottom of said receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A RECEPTACLE FOR ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS COMPRISING, (A) A UNITARY PLASTIC MASS FORMING, (1) AN ELONGATED HOLLOW BODY HAVING A TRANSVERSELY ROUNDED UPPER SURFACE, (2) A PLURALITY OF SPACED, LONGITUDINALLY AND VERTICALLY EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID RIBS DEPENDING FROM THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID BODY, (3) SAID RIBS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID FLAT BOTTOM EDGES WHICH TERMINATE IN THE SAME LATERAL PLANE THEREBY FORMING SUPPORT MEANS TO PREVENT FLEXURE OF SAID BODY AND (4) SAID RIBS HAVING A FLEXIBLE LATERAL PROJECTION EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY AND UPWARDLY FROM EACH OF SAID BOTTOM EDGES AND TERMINATING IN SPACED RELATION TO THE ADJACENT RIB WHEREBY A PLURALITY OF HOLLOW DUCTS ARE FORMED IN SAID RECEPTACLE FOR RECEIVING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS THEREIN BY FLEXING SAID LATERAL PROJECTIONS, IF NECESSARY, TO FACILITATE LATERAL INSERTION OF SAID CONDUCTORS THEREIN. 